Tigers' bullpen remains unsettled

Tigers' bullpen remains unsettled
by Danny Knobler
Saturday March 08, 2008, 1:10 AM

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Detroit Tigers are more than halfway through their stay in Florida, which makes what manager Jim Leyland said Friday a little bit disconcerting.

"I know less about our pitching than I did when I came into camp," Leyland said before Friday's 9-6 spring training win against Atlanta. "There's a pile of guys there, and we've still got to sort through them."

The Tigers came to Florida counting on Fernando Rodney as their setup man, but Rodney was slowed by right shoulder soreness and still has no appeared in a game. While the plan is for him to throw off a bullpen mound by next week, until he does he is a question mark.

Also, the Tigers expected right-hander Francisco Cruceta to be a real contender for a bullpen spot. Cruceta has yet to arrive in camp because of visa trouble.

"That's the other uncertainty," Leyland said.

At the moment, the Tigers do not seem ready to add to their bullpen options via trade, mostly because the type of reliever who would really help is not available. The New York Mets had interest in Marcus Thames even before Moises Alou got hurt, but it is difficult to imagine the Tigers dealing Thames for any of the pitchers the Mets would be willing to trade.

Backup catcher unresolved, too
The backup catcher situation is as uncertain as the bullpen, and the big unanswered question is whether Vance Wilson will have to miss the first few weeks of the season or be out much longer than that.

Asked Friday if Wilson's absence could go deeper into the season than the Tigers first feared, Leyland said: "It could be."

Odds & ends
Ivan Rodriguez changed his winter workout routine with the thought that he would be stronger, and perhaps it is showing. Rodriguez hit his second home run of the spring Friday and had two doubles. ... Leyland said Gary Sheffield has leg cramps will not be able to play as scheduled today against Toronto. But Leyland said he is not concerned about Sheffield's 0-for-11 start at the plate. "I think he's swinging the bat good," Leyland said. "The ball sounded good off his bat (on Thursday).'' ... Ramon Santiago is 8-for-11 this spring, and Leyland said Santiago is "swinging better than I've ever seen him." Leyland suggested that Santiago now is just focusing on hitting line drives after suffering from what he called "big-man-itis" last year. "That's true," Santiago said. "Sometimes, you get in love with (home runs), even though you know it's not your game."

Tigers' bullpen becoming clearer
by Tom Kowalski
Friday March 14, 2008, 1:44 AM

LAKELAND, Fla. -- The unsettled bullpen situation for the Detroit Tigers got a little bit clearer on Thursday, at least in the mind of manager Jim Leyland.

"I'll make this real simple. It's unlikely (Fernando) Rodney's going to be ready, in my opinion. Now, is that etched in stone? No. But I would think it's unlikely," Leyland said before Detroit's 6-6, 10-inning tie with the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.

If Rodney is out, that means there are six pitchers battling for the final two bullpen spots on the 25-man roster. The guys who have a spot locked up, other than the five starters, are: Todd Jones, Jason Grilli, Zach Miner, Bobby Seay and Tim Byrdak.

Jones, who endured two straight poor spring outings, was never in danger of not making the team but his performance on Thursday had to have Leyland feeling a little better. Jones retired the side in order in the seventh inning.

"It's a process and there are steps I have to do to get ready. As you get older, you want to make sure you can still do those steps," Jones said. "For me, maybe I need more innings in the spring than I've had (in the past). I'm going to get five to seven more times off the mound so I'll be OK."

Leyland said that, regardless of Rodney's situation, he knows exactly how many lefties he'll have in the bullpen.

"I'll have two. Etched in stone -- two. Forget it, there will be no more or no less," he said. "Bobby Seay and Tim Byrdak will be the left-handers in the bullpen. End of story."

The six who are trying to land one of the final two spots are Danny Bautista, Yorman Bazardo, Freddy Dolsi, Preston Larrison, Aquilino Lopez and Francisco Cruceta. Considering that Cruceta still isn't in camp yet because of his visa problems in the Dominican Republic, it's more likely a battle of five pitchers.

"I'm going to check the springs some of these guys have had in the past. Some guys have lit it up every spring and then haven't been worth a ," Leyland said. "We'll get our investigative team out there, smell around a little bit and get some information."

In discussing the roles of each of the relievers, Leyland put it in some pretty basic terms.

"Their roles will be defined here and it's real simple: When you get the -ing ball, pitch good," Leyland said. "You usually get the ball more often when you pitch good. It's not really rocket science. If you pitch good, you stay and pitch a little more. If you don't, you go back somewhere else. That's my definition of a role."

Rodney, coming back from shoulder tendonitis, threw off a mound for about 10 minutes on Thursday, throwing all fastballs.

"I feel very loose today, I didn't try to do too much," said Rodney, who will have a light throwing session today before getting more mound work in on Saturday.

The potential loss of Rodney means the position of the eighth-inning setup man is vacant.

"I'll have to do it by committee if Rodney's not available," Leyland said. "If somebody steps up, fine. Would I like to have somebody do it consistently? Yes. Do we have that guy? I don't know. Do we have the talent to do it? Yes. Do we have the mental part, the makeup, the talent -- the combination? I don't know that yet."

Quote :

"Their roles will be defined here and it's real simple: When you get the -ing
ball, pitch good," Leyland said. "You usually get the ball more often
when you pitch good. It's not really rocket science. If you pitch good,
you stay and pitch a little more. If you don't, you go back somewhere
else. That's my definition of a role."

I love it!

I think Leylands biggest problem was counting on "Nando" in the first place. The Tigers are better off without the enigma that Rodney is!!

Between Zoom and his not growing up, and Rodney... I hope they get some money going and get a great closer or other bullpen guy next year!!! Even better, now.

Todd will be gone next year, I bet (and hope)

We are thinking alike on this one.

Go Rodney....seriously, just GO!!

Can you believe that damus on the other board said that Grilli would come back to haunt us if we let him go and Cleveland picked him up??

what an

I would "encourage" a move like that!!

I never did like damus so I don't even look at that board much anymore...